<VV> Re: Rear Axle bolt torque

[Sethracer at aol.com]

Sorry - I should have expanded the subject line -


In a  message dated 12/14/2005 7:27:55 PM Pacific Standard Time,   
mail2tom at vaxxine.com writes:

I have  the differential together  for the 66 Corsa. I am putting the axle 
yokes in,  and I am looking  for the torque spec in the manual. I believe the 
manual calls  the  bolt an axle yoke nut and wants 100 ft lbs torque on them. 
Sounds like  a  lot to me, but if I am reading this right, I will do that to  
 them.



I wouldn't do that. The "Nut", I believe, referred to in  the  Chevy Manual 
chart is the nut that retains the axle yoke on the  Stub axle  at the 
trailing 
arm. Do your inner yoke bolts have "French  Locks" on them?  Clarks calls 
them 
"Special lock under head of U  bolt" (Their P/N C1301) But they  are really 
under 
the U-joint  retaining bolt, the one you mention. That type of  lock has tabs 
that  bend up and down to lock the head in that position. Sort  of like the  
ones that retain the nuts holding up the exhaust manifolds. That   design 
also 
means a high torque is not needed to retain that bolt. As  more  testimony, 
remember that most torque values are based on the  thread size of the  bolt 
(and the 
material into which it is being  threaded). 100 Ft Lbs is a lot  higher than 
any other 5/16 coarse  bolt is called out for. GM's standard  Torque table, 
in 
the front of  the 1961 Corvair manual, calls out 15 ft lbs for a  grade 5 
bolt 
and  23 ft lbs for a grade eight.  I think 20-25 should do it,  then bend  
over 
the tabs to lock them in place.  - Seth   Emerson